Shotgun sight



y 1963 F. A. BARNES 3,090,123

SHOTGUN SIGHT Filed June 10, 1958 k INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 3,090,123 SHQTGUN SIGHT Frank A. Barnes, R0. Box 1352, Missoula, Mont. Filed June 10, 1958, Ser. No. 741,635 1 Claim. ((31. 3352) The present invention relates to shotgun sights, and particularly to the forward sight of a shotgun.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a forward sight for shotguns having an effective breadth corresponding to approximately one third that of the traverse diameter of the shotgun pattern at normal ranges when sight width is projected to target and having its face inclined toward the eye at gun barrel plane or level.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shotgun forward sight of the class described above which is fixed and replaces the conventional sight thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a forward sight for shotguns which is inexpensive to manufacture, increases the accuracy of the gun, gathers light for dark days and evening shooting, and which is altogether simple to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a forward sight for shotguns placed at gun barrel level or ventilated rib level making the sight itself an integral part of the gun and not a separate entity or aloof from the gun.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a shotgun incorporating the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the sight illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of another modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of still another modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a forward sight for shotguns constructed in accordance with the invention.

The forward sight 10 is used in conjunction with a shotgun, the barrel of which is indicated at 11, having a conventional sight 12 integrally secured to the upper end thereof. The sight 10 includes an elongated solid body 13 having an arcuate lower wall 14 shaped to fit the curve of the shotgun barrel 11, a pair of spaced parallel side walls 15, '16 extending longitudinally of the sight 10, and a generally horizontal top wall 17 extending perpendicularly to and integrally connecting the side walls 15, 16.

The sight 10 has a perpendicular front wall 18 and oppositely arranged thereto a downwardly and rearwardly sloping rear wall 19. A longitudinally extending keyhole slot 20, as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, extends centrally of the forward part of the sight 10 to permit the sight 10 to be slid over the foresight 12 of the barrel 11 to attain the correct position for fixation.

In FIGURES 6 through 8, a series of modified forms of the invention is illustrated wherein the gun barrel 11a,

Patented May 21, 1963 11b, in each instance is provided with a fixed forward gun sight 10a, 10b and 100, respectively.

The modified sights 10a, 10b, 100 are formed substantially identically to the sight 10 with the keyhole slot 20 omitted.

The gun sight 10a has a sloping rear wall 19a identical to that of the sloping rear wall 19 and provides a sight the same as the sight It The gun sight 10b has a somewhat longer sloping rear Wall 1% with the angle of the slope being somewhat shallower than that of the wall 19 in the gun sight 10. The gun sight 100 has a sloping rear wall which is somewhat steeper than the rear wall 19 of the gun sight It).

In FIGURE 5, a gun sight 10a is illustrated in front elevation and shown connected to the gun barrel 11a, and it should be understood that the gun sights 10b, 10c have an end elevational shape identical to that of the gun sight 1011, as viewed in FIGURE 5.

It has become clear that a 12 gauge shotgun makes a standard pattern of effectiveness at 40 yards distributing its shot in killing numbers throughout a circle 30 inches in diameter. The present invention incorporates a front sight of substantially wider form than normal so that the circle sight when projected to target covers 10 inches of a 30 inch circle at 40 yards. Leads are facilitated and effectiveness multiplied.

In shotgun shooting the pattern at 40 yards is approximately the width of a 30 inch circle. In consequence pin point sighting is neither necessary nor desirable. The relatively wide sight of the instant invention, which is approximately 4 to of an inch in width gives a field of view of approximately /3 of a 30 inch circle when projected to 40 yards so that a target at that dist-ance may be easily led by merely glancing over the wide sight and still be within the shot pattern. Furthermore, either a fixed or moving target may, by sighting against an inclined plane placed in immediate contact with the gun barrel or rib, be easily contained within the projected shot pattern without fine or exact alignment of the front and rear sights. The sight by virtue of this arrangement looks larger than it actually is, and in the instant case, the pattern is altered only by approximately 5 inches up or down at 40 yards by the height of a sight, and consequently need not be considered for all practical purposes.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A gun sight comprising a body secured to the forward end of a shotgun, said body having a flat top surface of a width to subtend a width at normal range corresponding to approximately one-third the diameter of the shotgun pattern at such range when projected to the target, said body having a downwardly and rearwardly sloping planar rear face from the fiat top surface of said sight to the bottom thereof and of the same width throughout for collecting and reflecting light therefrom, and resulting also in an appearance of thickness or elevation of the sight itself that helps to get on target quickly and facilitate leads.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,075 Fornonzini J an. 27, 1920 2,297,575 McLean Sept. 29, 1942 2,762,127 Swett Sept. 11, 1956 2,781,583 Grimble Feb. 19, 1957 2,842,848 Friedrichsmeier July 15, 1958 

